How you can tell the media wants a hand-out

and when I say media I mean the folks who are loosing their jobs to the internet.

Headlines On This Date 4 Years Ago:

"Republicans spending $42 million on inauguration while troops Die in unarmored Humvees"
"Bush extravagance exceeds any reason during tough economic times"
"Fat cats get their $42 million inauguration party, Ordinary Americans get the shaft"

Headlines Today:

"Historic Obama Inauguration will cost only $120 million"
"Obama Spends $170 million on inauguration; America Needs A Big Party"
"Everyman Obama shows America how to celebrate"
"Citibank executives contribute $8 million to Obama Inauguration"

things I need to do

-get a new garage door opener
-more memes
-Find a way to do more with the manfriend
-start really planning out a vacation, one that stirs the soul yet comes with drinks included.
-apologize to Fawksy...it would of course be easier if he told me what for.
-destroy at least two up and coming galactic powers before they discover the secret of the "Stolen Suns."
-eat more veggies and pure protein
-visit more relatives before they die
-hang my "new" front door
-find at least two new friends this year.
-take back my back yard.
-hang more art that i bought
addendum
-Find a way to do more with the manfriend
-read more technical manuals
-go camping and fishing
-stay tanned
-learn a language so E doesn't stare at me disapprovingly when we go out.
-make love on a heart shaped bed while holding a fish in one hand and an apple in the other. (helps insure a male baby!)
-consider property in a secluded location.

History is a funny thing..

Okay two things, first freaky dream moment, I woke up at five in the morning, coming out of a dream in which my little brother and my mom were rushing to get out of the house early. They were taking part in some kind of community event (sponsored by a radio station)that was all about waking up and getting out of the house by 6 in the morning. The freaky thing is it woke me up at 5 in the morning, but my mom and little brother are on the east coast so they are an hour ahead...."dum dum duummm"

Okay second thing since i was early for work I was listening to NPR talk about the pre-inaugural concert that they had at the Lincoln Memorial last night Sunday, Jan. 18th. No big whoop, I mean sure they are spending over 100 million dollars of tax payers dollars just to swear a man in so he can tell us that we have no money with a charming smile but whatever, we'll print more. The funny thing is, and forgive me for this total nerd moment is that they closed the concert with this rousing song, "This Land is Our Land", Now this little song was written by the late great Woody Guthrie, who is also from my adopted state of Oklahoma. However this is hardly a song of unity and I suspect a great many Indians are grinding their teeth this morning. They HATE that song. It's so like the biggest slap in the face to them and I've seen grown men reduced to frothing rage trying to explain it. It's like the English talking about Bonny old England stretching from Wales to Westray, Scotland. Or Russia talking about stretching from the Kamchatka peninsula to Poland. Hilarious stuff and when viewed thru the lens of history a literal mine field of conquests and Manifest Destiny... whoops not allowed to use that phrase anymore... :) Unity gotta love it. Somehow I suspect the Indian delegation is hitting the fire water a little early this morning as they see the chances of any change dry up, lost in nuance and nationalism. To me it's all kind of hilarious, but I laugh at all the wrong moments.

Context: am history buff, irony is the true humor, and I grew up learning multiple sides to every story.

Update I am not alone in this! my boss heard about this and had me laughing so hard I was almost crying, singing, "this land is your land, this land in my land...but mostly it's my land, now get the hell off"

2ND UPDATE The inaugural cost is now sitting at 170 million, my bad. However the possibility of private donation is of course growing...to put this in prospective, Bush's last one cost 45 million and Clinton's cost 33 million.

Haunted nether bits

Occasionally one discovers a line so perfect so succinct you just have to blog about it, and this truly is one of them. Thanks to "Chris's Invincible Super Blog" for the pic
Context: also this is, along with Vagina Dentura, An excellent reason to stay gay

Update I Forgot a hat tip to Frank! Sorry about that Frank, keep on blogging! Oh and get a boyfriend already.

AT&T is weird

So I went to pay my bill online with the ATAT and I typed in my password wrong once, THEY LOCKED MY ACCOUNT!!! What the hell is up with that?

context: I only hate cell phone companies when i have to deal with them directly

*also I cannot spell correctly to save my life

On what the christian religion has cost us

When the christian church consolidated it's teachings and expanded it's holdings to include most if not all of the former Roman Empire, they began to teach that all the bible was complete, and that all necessary knowledge was found in the scripture. They used poems and verses from the bible to dictate what was "real" or false and they forbade the search for additional knowledge as heresy. Though I'm sure the graph is easy enough to understand and that many of it's underlying numbers have been smoothed the over all trend is pretty clear.

Spirituality or why it's not what you think

hmm looking over the last few months of posts one might think that i am a spiritual person, or believe some hokey new age mysticism.

This is not the case.

Context: Despite my use of the word 'spirit', I am at most a Taoist,and at least an atheist. As a humanist, I believe that religion should never hinder or retard growth or exploration. I am not a christian, satanist, or someone who cares to define morality by any scripture. When I use the word spirit I am referring to that inner sense of oneself that can be happy or sad, that is something more than chemical response and can be manipulated through meditation. As I recently wrote elsewhere, "Maybe to those who see the church as a path to enlightenment it is. However I see it as a philosophical dead end that while maintaining spiritual warmth, fails to explore the cold world and universe beyond and come to terms with the need to dramatically expand the scope of our ambitions." I think that pretty much sums it up.

Cthulhu F'thagn

okay I know it's a little late for christmas, but it's right on time for Cthulumas, that joyous annual holiday when you gift your fellow cultists with awesome new idols of the Great and Deep Ancient ones! So in the spirit of the holiday, this is the little guy I have my covetous eye on this fishy holiday! The 3rd edition Legrasse!

If I get it I promise to love it and feed it and keep it in a wet dark grotto!!

Of course someone could also get me, and I'm looking at you Dagon! could get me a gift card for the new gay version of Lovecraft's Cthulu Sigh who would have thought a hundred years on the Ancient ones would have so much presence in our media driven world!

That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die

Odd

I haven't been blocked for some time, still feels odd. meh, than again maybe it's just cause high school was so long ago.

January gym crowds

While trying not to be snobbish, I recently had to direct two men to the locker room in my gym, this despite the fact that the doors were clearly marked with signs over top. The gym was of course crowded. The only upside to the whole thing is that there is at least a bit more eye candy to look at while waiting for equipment.

So far so good, E is busy with school stuff but we had a nice date Friday night, I admit we have failed to do "date nights" as often as we should. Something I will try to remedy. OKC has some nice places to visit, though apparently they have decided to charge 25% tax? Either that or the bar phased in a tip and thought I shouldn't notice.

I am still hoping to take a spring holiday, I would love to (and expect to) go with E but his graduation schedule has been moving around a lot. I don't want to put any pressure on him over it though, students don't make a ton of money. Maybe he will have to apply for jobs and they will fly him around the world and I can tag along?? Well I can dream can't I?

Post New Years wrap-up

New years was fun, the day after could have gone a lot better.

No resolutions..

Post Christmas wrapup.

Well, back from my latest trip, saw the folks and all the siblings, Their kids and spouses. Got to see my Grandma and that was awesome. She seems in much better spirits than when I saw her last. One weird thing no one bothered to ask what I was doing, or if i was seeing anyone. So since they didn't I just mentioned E like over and over. If they can't get the hint than fuck'em. I even said he had a key to the house and even that didn't provoke a response! You'd think they'd care a little : \

The gift were a bit slim this year, I did get a super cool ball clock from my sister. I've always wanted one but never shelled out the money for it.
E and I kept the gifts simple this year, I got jello shots and some time with him, he got a stocking and stuff. yes I'd like to do more for him but I really don't want to push it. Oh well his birthday isn't too far away.

I did get myself one gift, okay probably a few but the one that stands out is the first season of Freakazoid on DVD. I was at the store shopping and found out it had been released and had to snatch it up. Sweet, sweet animated madness!

All right blog readers talk to you later, hope you had a good Christmas! Now onto New Years, all I'm going to say is I'm looking for a hotel room with a jacuzzi!

So much for Capitalism...

Mumbai, and Muslim terrorism

Pretty much sums up my views too.

Winston Churchill 1899:

“How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.

“The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.

“A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.

“Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it.

“No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.”

Not much has changed...

Shouldn't we wait till after the inaugration? DADT

While I fully expected this, and even blogged about how I only trusted Obama to throw the gays under his bus. This rapid unfolding of stories about what he is or isn't going to do is kind of crazy. Maybe I have just forgotten what transitions are like and it's been awhile since we've had one with the past two presidents having 8 year terms and the president before that being a vice president, but how is it that people are sure which policies are or are not going to be enacted?
Give the guy a chance to get his people in place and pursue his plans. Remember we want this to be successful and we want be smooth.

However if this is true and that 2010 is the projected roll out time he would be setting himself up for a huge fight in congress as the next congressional election cycle peaks. I really hope that there is enough support to get it through congress and onto his desk WITHOUT caveats or loop holes that would make it a hollow victory. So many gays need some way of proving themselves to their families or society at large and it seems a huge waste to throw away these possible recruits or force them to hide in the closet. I know I would have enlisted if the ban had been lifted. Yes I know several gays that are in the military some out some not but I couldn't do it under the current law. I didn't want to pour my life into a career that could be snatched out from under me by any misstep or fellow soldier. Sadly in 2010 I'd be 35 to old to enlist : (

Wal-mart?

Occasionally things happen and I have no idea why. This is one of them. Mayhaps he needs to spend more time with his family? Pursue new opportunities?

Context, I always watch for signs of weakness, it's an aspect of my nature.

On Global warming and why I don't care

Sorry I've never really worried about climate change and feel pretty confident in the belief that regardless of the earth warming or cooling we lack the ability to do anything except produce less soot. (Something I do think is important) neither the Kyoto protocol nor the science behind it was anything other than alarmist claptrap in my opinion and the powers that be that beat it's drum have done little besides enrich themselves and promote their own business schemes. Humans should always be thinking about the changing environment and trying to keep things the way they were at any one time is a dangerous ideal considering the earth is a dynamic system not static.

This interesting belief that we should stop making CO2 is just the latest twist. Judges have now ruled that CO2 is a dangerous industrial waste. Did no one mention to him that every breath we take creates CO2, and there fore we are all under the managing auspices of the EPA? that CO2 is less than .0373 percent of the actual gas in the air? yet somehow is suppose to be the main component of Global warming? Or that the more CO2 in the air the better that plants do? No all this is disregarded to flashy headlines even as the air grows colder and colder and the seasons shorter. I don't even try to argue anymore I might mention corollaries to planetary warming throughout the solar system that matched Earth's own, but than I blame that on Bush.
Think people, think....

: / apparently I'm an asshole

Not that I don't already know this, and my close friends know this. However I suppose people I blog with don't know this. Probably because my asshole philosophy tells me to be polite except when talking about things like philosophy. So I can only apologize so much until I get to the point where I remember why I gave up on teaching, and parties and anything other than close friendships. Than I do the same thing I've done since high school, shut my mouth, go home, write my teacher (whose long dead) a letter telling him he was an asshole but right and stick my nose in a book. At least this time I have someone to cuddle with and exchange recipes. Unless he decides I'm an asshole too.
Maybe i should buy christmas presents early just in case...

I suppose for context I should explain, my philosophy only allows me to be an asshole about philosophy because it can kill people. Therefore to express emotion for it is justified. All things that are trivial or transitory must not be worried or fussed over.

Clarification
I suppose, as Jimbo points out, that not changing a habit since high school would indicate a lack of personal growth as well as it should. However that habit came about as a lesson I learned about debate tactics. Basically I come from a family of very confrontational, self righteous, educated blowhards. Though socially awkward (the gay thing, and poor to boot) I was out spoken in certain classes about history and the lessons to gleen from it. Over time I was convinced by a teacher that debate convinced no one of anything and the only successful way of changing the world was through example. So I stopped being verbal and started just helping people and trying to make my section of the world a better place and for the most part that has been wildly successful. However sometimes i still wish words were enough, and the internet can bring out the worst of my old habits. So I apologize, because nothing really matters in the end except how you treat others.

Troubling

I heard a debate recently that troubled me, several people I know that have learned some of the advanced arts of meditation have been trying to munch on a quote they pulled up while delving. "Better for a world to die than the unenlightened learn to read." meaning that if someone reached some form of understanding about the nature of the universe out of order they were most likely to create vicious cycles of destruction in their world that would leave it corrupted, possibly for all time.

Any opinions out there? or is this just prattle from a time of caste systems and extreme knowledge hording?

Addendum
I suppose i should add in context I read CosmoDaddy's blog and was curious about the man Allister that is helping to teach him to meditate and relax.

Traveling

Sorry folks I have been traveling quite a bit lately and it's draining me of extra creative energy. Eventually you get to the point where all you can do is sit in a chair and try to regain some density to your self. Still I have been a bit busy, I've seen Sex Drive, Role Model, and RockanRolla. I bought a suit, I am still happily in a relationship, I saw a production fo Rocky Horror Picture show, and I treated my friends to a meal at the Melting Pot which was a lot of fun and very good. I also recieved a book from an old blog friend as well as completing quite a bit of reading on my own.

On the down side my yard has suffered, my dog is restless, my house is unclean, my spirit feels thinned out and my work out schedule has suffered as well.

Still I got to see Tampa, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Wichita. more cities to add to the list which in time i must throw away.

Hope everyone out there is surviving the season change and keeping their spirits up!!